Humanitarian and Refugee Law

Unit 1 — Introduction to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) :

1. Meaning, History and Development of IHL · 2. Principles of IHL - Military Necessity, Distinction, Proportionality, Precaution, Unnecessary Suffering and Humane Treatment. · 3. Application of IHL - Martens Clause · 4. Definition of Armed Conflict - International Armed Conflict and Non- international Armed Conflict - Common Articles 2 and 3 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 · 5. Relationship between International Law and International Humanitarian Law · 6. Relationship between International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law

Unit 2 — Protected Persons and Conduct of Hostilities :

1. Wounded, The Sick, The Shipwrecked · 2. Prisoners of War · 3. Medical, Religious and Relief Personnel · 4. Protection of Civilians · 5. Protection of Women and Protection of Children · 6. Protection of Cultural Property · 7. Limitations on Means of Warfare · 8. Limitations on Methods of Warfare

Unit 3 — Implementation of IHL and Institutional Mechanisms :

1. Basic issues involved in Implementation of IHL · 2. Implementation of Law at National Level · 3. Grave Breaches of Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols · 4. Role of ICRC · 5. War Crimes Tribunals - an Overview · 6.International Criminal Court - Jurisdiction, Powers and Functions

Unit 4 — Conventions and Protocols :

1. Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field, 1949 (Important Provisions). · 2. Convention (II) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea, 1949 (Important Provisions) · 3. Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, 1949 (Important Provisions). · 4. Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, 1949 (Important Provisions) · 5. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977 (Important Provisions) · 6. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II), 8 June 1977 (Important Provisions) · 7. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem, (Protocol III), 8 December, 2005 (Important Provisions)

Unit 5 — Tribunals and Judicial Decisions :

1. International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg · 2. International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo) · 3. International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) · 4. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) · 5. Special Court for Sierra Leone

Unit 6 — Contemporary Challenges :

1. Respect for IHL · 2. IHL and Terrorism · 3. Private Military Contractors · 4. New Methods of Warfare – Drones, Cyber Warfare, Autonomous Weapon Systems

Unit 7 — Introduction to International Refugee Law :

1. Historical Background of Refugee Law · 2. Meaning and Definition of Refugee under various International Documents · 3. Difference between Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons Human Rights and Refugees – an overview

• Human Rights: LGBT, Refugees and Aliens

Unit 8 — A) International Framework for Refugee Protection :

1. Asylum · 2. Protection · 3. Non-refoulement · 4. Non-discrimination · 5. Family Unity · 6. Durable Solutions · 7. International Cooperation, Burden Sharing, Extradition of Refugee, voluntary, Repatriation, Naturalization · 8. Role of UNHCR in the Protection and Promotion of Refugee Rights - an Overview B) Refugees in Indian Context : · 1. Legal and Constitutional Provisions · 2. Reasons for non Signatory to Refugee Convention, · 3. Role of Indian Government in Protecting Refugees · 4. Role of NHRC and Judiciary · 5. The Refugee and Asylum Bill, 2019

• Human Rights: LGBT, Refugees and Aliens
• Role of Judiciary in Protection of Human Rights in India